‘I lost £1,000 gambling on football matches’

Last year, the Big Step Campaign revealed that 1.4 million people are addicted to gambling in the UK and there are over 400 gambling related suicides every year.

Part of the problem is gambling’s relationship with football, the world’s biggest sport.

One Kingston University student, who previously struggled with a gambling addiction, lost over £1,000. He highlighted the problems that the advertising can cause.

“To me, gambling in football is way too normalised. It’s a fun release and a way to add to the tension and excitement of the game, but if you’re not careful it can spiral,” he said. “The bookies always win is the phrase and that is very true.”

The Premier League is watched by over 4.7 billion people worldwide, and in the 2020/21 season, English football made over £115 million from betting sponsors.

11 of the 20 teams that compete within it have a gambling company as their main shirt sponsor, with Aston Villa and Bournemouth both acquiring a gambling sponsor in the last three years.

He voiced concerns at the affect that the promotion of gambling in football could have on younger generations, as well as the lack of education to stop the problem at its roots.

“With Premier League teams sponsored by gambling sites, it’s scary how gambling is promoted, especially with kids watching who are very impressionable,” he said.

“In school and education it’s not taken very seriously. Yes, there’s help but you have to go and look for it. The dangers need to be taught so we don’t end up with a generation that cares more about gambling than whether their team won or lost.

“This is coming from someone who has deposited easily more than £1,000 on betting sites in the past two years.”

In an attempt to make a step forward in the fight against gambling addiction, Premier League clubs have agreed to withdraw betting sponsors from the front of matchday shirts at the end of the 2025-26 seasons.

While sponsors can still be shown on other parts of football kits, this marks a significant change.

The Premier League, EFL, The FA and Women’s Super League have also agreed to adopt a new code of conduct for gambling related agreements in football, aimed at protecting people from the harms of gambling.

However, he said that measures meant to protect those with a gambling problem are insufficient.

He said: “Sites implement identity checks and have good measures like deposit limits, but it’s still too easy to gamble. I’ve had multiple limits and suspensions on apps due to exceeding deposit limits.”

Simpson recommended GAMSTOP, a free site which stops those struggling with addiction from accessing gambling websites and apps.

He said: “My message is that gambling is fun until it’s not, and then it becomes crippling and addictive. Stop while you can, get help and enjoy football for what it is.”